The calm proved to be short-lived. After Mark Carney’s visit to the White House on October 7, relations between Canada and the United States appeared to have returned to a more peaceful state following months of trade war. Even though no agreement was signed, the Canadian prime minister, whom Donald Trump called a “good man,” could congratulate himself on a successful charm offensive.

But these gestures of goodwill were swept aside on Thursday, October 23. An advertising campaign produced by Ontario, the wealthiest and most populous province in Canada, drew the ire of the Republican president and unraveled months of diplomatic efforts by the Carney government. Broadcast on American television channels, the ad features a 1987 speech by former president Ronald Reagan condemning the harmful effects of tariffs on American consumers. This move by Ontario was a clear strategy to directly challenge Trump’s trade war.

Stung, the American leader described the ad as fraudulent and decided to break off trade negotiations with Canada immediately, calling its behavior “egregious.” This latest about-face triggered panic among several Canadian industries. “The end of negotiations with the United States is very bad news for our manufacturers. Many companies are already suffering from tariffs as high as 50%. They cannot wait for the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement: They need relief now,” said Julie White, president and director general of Québec Manufacturers and Exporters, on Friday.

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